Package and closure



"Aug 25, wsa, Ela/LAKS@ l 2,051,868

PACKAGE AND CLOSURE Filed Jan. 9, 1955 el. @M72 my@ ..00 ATTORNEYS Patented ug. 25, 1936 UNITED lSTATES poration of Delaware A z,o's1,sss i PACKAGE AND oLosmtE Eine E. Lak, Fitchburg, Mass., assigner to von Incorporated, Louisvill e, Ky., a cor- Applieauon January 9, less, semi No. asl

r 4 claim. (ci. 22e-5.5i

My present invention'relates to the packaging of plastic material such as ice cream or the like and involves a cylindrical container of paper,v

cardboard or other fibrous material having a removable anged cap which may be conveniently manually telescoped over the end of a container and which imposes suillcient frictional resistance to withdrawal, to insure the retention and proper positioning during shipment and storage.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a container `cap, or closure embodying a container-embracin'g flange adapted to be placed under circumferential tension as an incident of applying the cap and which consists of an annulus of ilbrous material folded upon itself to afford a circular radially yielding ap so designed that as the cap is applied to the container, the container mouth cams into the ap, expanding it and placing it under-tension so that it offers a substantial frictional resistance to removal.

' Another feature of the invention is the provision of a container closure of the general character described above which is of extremely simple, practical, rugged, durable and emcient con. struction capable of being inexpensively manufactured and .consisting merely of a circular closure portion and an annular container-engaging flange-forming member interlocked with the circular closure portion and having its lower edge bent inwardly and upwardly to define the frictional flap. The upper edge of the flange forming member is bent inwardly and downward- `ly and the disk-like closure member is locked between the oppositely and inwardly directed edges of the flange-forming piece. r

My improved cap forms a part of my improved package. 'Ihe relatively light cylindrical shell may be completely filled with ice cream or other plastic material and is thereby reinforced by the cream to such an extent that flexure of the yielding flap of the closurel with consequent substantial frictlonal grip occurs when the cap is forced home. 'Ihis is in contradistinction' to the application of the cap over the mouthof a light unfilled shell where the shell being more flexible :than'the closure would do most of the yielding itself and but light frictional contact would be had.

. Furthermore the disk of my improved closure is of a diameter greater than the mouth of the cylindrical shell to be capped and lies against saidmouth. contacting its entire periphery when the cap is applied. With the -container brim full of plastic or frozen material 5 directlycontitctingthediskofthecl0su`re,asub'V includes a flat circular disk III preferably of `cardgreater diameter than shell stantial vacuum eect is created to oppose removal of the cap, the force supplementing the frictional drag of the closure flap against the outer surface of the shell;`

The invention may be more fully understood 5 from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing ,whereinzf Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical container with my improved closure in applied position,

Fig.- 2 is an enlarged broken transverse sectional `view through the closure removed from the container, r

Fig. l3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the manner in which the container mouth cams 1|; 1

-lnto the tapered annular flap of the closure,

Fig. 4 is a view similarto Fig. 2 with the closure f fully telescoped over the mouth of the container and with the container completely lled with ice cream, and 2 Figs. 5, 6 and 'l are views corresponding to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 respectively but illustrating a slightly modified form of closure. l

In Fig. 1. Ihave illustrated a type of fibrous container 20 consisting of a side wall cylindrical throughout its length and having a bottom 2| secured thereto in any conventional or convenient manner and preferably in such 'fashion that it is liquid tight. The container may beof 'light stiff cardboard or other material suitable for the purpose and adapted to encase a partially or Y fully frozen mass of ice cream or the like which preferably lls the container to the brim.

The closure member shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 board or other fibrous material having anupwardly and inwardly bent peripheral rim portion II, the at center of the'disk being of greater diameter than the mouth of the shell 20. Cooperating with the disk-like' closure member I0 40 to complete the cap is a flange-forming member e indicated generally at I2. This flange-forming member is of annular shape, the cylindrical intermediate portion thereof being of substantially I0. The upper edge of member I2 is rolled inwardly' and downwardly as indicated at I3 to interlock with the upwardly and inwardly turned rim II of the disk I0.v

The lower portion of .the member .I2 is rolled inwardly as at Il and bent upwardly as at I5, 50 thisinwardly and upwardly directed.bent extension I5 assuming the form of a yieldig flap con.. ically tapered at least -at the ewer end.' I'he lower edge `of this flap is ofslightly greater di- -ameter than container 20 and Ythe upperedge of 55 than container 20 sov that the container mouth with lrespect to the container mouth as vthe elo-- sure is applied. No manual manipulation for fitting the closure to the shell is required.

Thedbending of portions I3, Il and I5 of member I2` appreciably stiffens this flange forming element so it has no tendency to lose its circular shape even though made of relatively light material. The ice cream which fills the container 2l reinforces this, shell and sustains its shape and permits the shell to positively expand the flap I5 as the closure is pressed home. As seen in Fig. 4 no air space is present between the fiat disk I (which makes complete peripheral contact with the container mouth) and the contents of the container.` Thus as pull is exerted to remove the cap there is a tendency to create a vacuum between this disk and the ice cream which affords further resistance to removal of the closure.

In Figs. 5 to '7 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the invention in which an annular member I6 corresponding to member I2 cooperates with a disk I1 corresponding to disk I0 to constitute the closure. In this case the disk I1 v is entirely fiat; the upper edge of the annulus I6 is turned or rolled inwardly and`downwardly as at I) to engage the upper edge of the disk I1, and the lower portion of the annulus I6 is turned inwardly and upwardly to provide an annular ap Il to engage the lower edge ofthe disk I1. With this form of the invention, the upwardly extending portion I9 of the annulus'inclines inwardly lat least at its lower end. Here again the intermediate portion member I6 and the upwardly turned portion flap I9'are integrally connected by a rounded'connective section 2| which cams over the mouth of the container and centers the cap with respect thereto.

As the cap is forced home this ap I9 is expanded and tensioned, being forced into approximately cylindrical shape and tightly grippingl the container 20. In this case again the closure is forced home until the disk I8 abuts the container mouth and contacts the contents of the filled container. l

With both forms of the invention, the closure is of two-piece construction and `in each case the disk is locked in 'place by the inwardly and oppositely turned edges of the ilange forming piece. Thus the casual handling of the capso'r closures prior to their application to the container will not result in dis-assembly of the disks with respect to the flange forming elements. Glue or other adhesive may be employed particularly between the parts II and I3 ofthe form shown in Figs. 2, 3 and;v 4. With both forms of the invention also the container may be of regular cylindrical form, the only member which is distorted as an incident of the application of the cap being the annular concealed tapered flap of the cap itself.

In the drawing the thickness of the material and the extent to which the nap is flexed as the 2,051,868 the flap may be of substantially less diameter cap is applied has been to some extent exaggerated in order to more clearly visually depict the action which occurs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 5 ent isz- 1. A-two piece cap of fibrous material adapted to serve as a closure for a cylindrical container, said cap including a flat disk of greater diameter than 'the container to which the cap is to be applied, and an annular flange forming piece including a cylindrical. .-band extending above and below said disk, the upper edge pori tion of said band being bent downwardly and inwardly to form an upstanding peripheral bead lto engage the upper surface of said disk, and the lower edge portion of said band being bent upwardly and inwardly to form a radially yielding flap to cam over the mouth of the container as the cap is forced home to the extent limited by said disk and to frictionally grip the periphery of the container, the opposed edges of said band abutting opposite surfaces of said disk to hold said disk and said flange forming piece in predetermined relationship.

2. A package including acylindrical container of uniform diameter throughout its length and formed of fibrous material, a bottom therefor, a plastic comestible normally liquid at body temperature filling said container-.and having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the latter, and a flanged cap closing the mouth of said container andl including a flat diskportion of greater diameter than said container and having complete peripheral contact with said edge and with the surface of said comestible, and a cylindrical band encircling said disk and extending above and below the latter, the upper edge of the disk being bent downwardly and inwardlv to form an upstanding peripheral bead, and 4g the lower edge of the band being bent inwardly and upwardly, the opposed edges of said band abutting opposite surfaces of said diskto 'hold said band and disk in predetermined relationship, and the inwardly and upwardly turned por- .4g

tion of said band being radially yielding to frictionally grip the periphery of the container.

3. A package including a cylindrical container of uniform diameter throughout its length and formed of fibrous material, a bottom therefor, a 54 plastic comestible normally liquid at body temperature filling said container and having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the latter, and a flanged cap closing the mouth of said container and including a flat disk portion 5 of greater diameter than said containerl and having complete peripheral contact with said edge and with the surface of said comestible, and a cylindrical band encircling said disk and extending above and below the latter, the upper edge' 6 of the disk being bent inwardly and downwardly to form an upstanding peripheral bead, and the lower edge of the band being bent inwardly and upwardly to form a'flange, said ange having its upper edge adjacent te said disk radially 'yieldtending above and below said disk, the upper portion oi' said band being bent radially inward- 1y and downwardly over said flange to form an upstanding peripheral bead and to connect to- Vgether said band and said disk, and the lower edgle portion of said band being bent upwardly and radially inwardly to form a radially yielding flap unsupportedA intermediate of-its upper and lower edges and having its upper'edge free to move outward radially toward the body of said band during the application oi.' said cap tosaid I 

